


Of Keys and Relationships

by Cassie_grace06



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-10
Updated: 2012-03-10
Packaged: 2017-11-01 18:41:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/360015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cassie_grace06/pseuds/Cassie_grace06
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane tries to draw Cho out of his shell after the opening events of episode 3x22 "Rhapsody in Red." Contains spoilers for that ep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Keys and Relationships

**Author's Note:**

> Episode tag for 3x22 "Rhapsody in Red." A sweet scene that could have happened after Anthony Rome stole Cho's department car.
> 
> Pre-established on-again-off-again Cho/Jane. Mistakes are mine. This can be considered a prequel to my other fic with these two, but doesn't have to be. Enjoy!

In the dark, humid night, a lone figure walked doggedly along a sidewalk in southern Sacramento, hunched into his suit coat, his usually smooth face looking tired and worn under the streetlights. A frown marred his features. He scuffed his loafers along the sidewalk, pausing outside of a house to play back the scene that had happened about a half hour before yet again in his head. 

Kimball Cho was trying to figure out what he could have done differently to avoid the circumstance he found himself in. How the hell could he have let that smug little bastard steal his keys? How? Shouldn't he have felt the weight gone from his pocket? Shouldn't he have felt the little hand reach in and take the damn things? Why didn't he watch to make sure the kid followed orders and actually left the crime scene? 

His feet were sore and starting to sweat in his shoes, and he reluctantly added not taking Patrick Jane up on his offer to drive him somewhere to the mental list of mistakes he was keeping in his head. It was his stupid pride that doomed him to a rather long walk home, but facing the blond cherub in that small, cramped car of his was not what Cho had in mind. Not after being humiliated in front of half the Sacramento PD, his colleagues, his boss, and a dozen potential case witnesses. 

Cho shook his head and started walking again. He had a cell phone. He could call Jane, ask him to come pick him up, but he was almost home. He could have walked to the CBI to get his personal vehicle, but that would have been an even longer distance, and he wouldn't have been able to avoid his fellow agents in the parking garage. Honestly, he didn't want to face any of the CBI tonight. Even Patrick, his sometimes lover.

Cho sighed again at the thought of Jane. He hadn't quite missed the look on Patrick's face when Cho had refused the offer of a ride by just ignoring his colleague's words. It was like the look a kicked puppy gets. Sure, Jane had tried to hide his feelings with a stupid remark and a shrug, but Cho had seen the hurt emotions in his blue gaze. Weren't they in a relationship, or at least a friends-with-benefits thing? Would it have really hurt Cho to get into his car? It wasn't like anyone would have been suspicious. Cho didn't have a car, Jane did. It should have been simple.

But he didn't have a car, damn it, and that was humiliating as hell. Driving home with anyone who did, even Jane, would have rubbed that in. Maybe especially Jane. The blond wasn't known for his tact.

Cho used to be that kind of punk who stole keys and cars. He used to mess with cops all the time. He used to be able to spot a mark, an easy target, an idiot with a badge a mile away. Cho wasn't usually one for tearing himself up over a mistake, but the questions this was making him ask himself burned. Had he been a "straight guy" for so long that he was now a mark? Was he really that easy to pull crap like this on? If so, when the hell had that happened?

He ran a tired hand over his face as his apartment finally came into view. He dragged himself up the stairs, grateful the little punk hadn't managed to get his hands on his other key ring, where he kept his home keys and the keys to his personal vehicle. His apartment manager kept spotty hours, and sleeping outside on the floor wasn't exactly what he had in mind. The floor was dirty, hard, cold concrete. It wasn't the most comfortable thing to spend any amount of time on.

Which was why Cho was surprised to see a figure sitting on it next to his door.

Crap. Had Jane's Citroen been in the parking lot? Had he missed that, too? 

"What are you doing here?" Kimball asked, walking up with reluctance and putting his key in his door.

"I thought you could use some company after tonight. Someone to cheer you up."

"I'm not in need of cheering up."

"Liar."

Cho sighed and pushed the door open. Jane jumped up and followed, so close Cho could feel Jane's body heat on his back. 

"Sure, just come right in."

The exasperation in Kimball's voice made Jane laugh. 

"Oh, come on. It isn't that big of a deal. This kind of stuff happens. Just last week, remember? A Sac-P.D. patrol car was stolen from a corner store. The cop left the keys in the ignition. You didn't do anything nearly as dumb as that."

"Well, that makes it all right, then."

Patrick smiled indulgently at Cho as he shut and locked his door, a grin that only served to make Kimball's blood boil a little higher. He hated when he got like this, he didn't like being this angry, but Jane always seemed to know how to stroke his irritation higher.

"Look, this is all on me. It was the car I was driving that got jacked! It was my responsibility! What happens if that kid gets hurt? What happens if the car gets wrecked? The department can't exactly afford to replace it right now. All that will be on me if they don't find the damn thing before something goes wrong!"

For lack of anything better to do with his hands, Kimball wrenched his tie knot apart and grabbed his suit jacket off as he was speaking, throwing both on the couch. He was pacing a little, clearly agitated, but not so far gone he wasn't also frustrated with himself for taking his anger out on his lover. 

Patrick's smile remained on his face as he let Kimball blow off some steam. For such an intelligent man, Cho had a tendency to take on much more independence and guilt than his broad, strong shoulders needed to, or should, handle. Patrick knew he'd wind down eventually, but Jane was never a patient man. 

"Is my butt dirty?"

Cho's voice puttered out, turning to Patrick with a rather incredulous look.

"What?"

"Is my butt dirty?" Patrick twisted his head a little, as if trying to look at his own ass. The motion caused his form to turn a bit, and for a few seconds he looked like a dog trying to chase his own tail. "That floor of yours out there is filthy. I feel like my butt has dirt on it."

Kimball watched his lover's antics, feeling a smile tug at his lips.

"Looks fine to me."

"Hmmm. Come brush it off, just in case?"

Kimball arched an eyebrow, knowing he was being had. At least this time he was aware of what he walking into, so he willingly closed the small distance between Patrick and himself. His large hand reached out and brushed across Jane's butt, who purred and arched back into the touch.

"Jane..."

"What? You love that I'm incorrigible." 

Kimball was smiling now, his form relaxing slowly, and he had to privately admit he admired his partner's ability. He squeezed the ass under his hand gently, and Patrick hummed and turned, pressing his supple lips against Kimball's own. 

"Now, that's better. Don't you think?"

Kimball rolled his eyes a little, but squeezed Patrick's ass again, a bit harder. Patrick kissed him again, deeper this time, his tongue allowing Kimball's into his mouth, Kimball savoring the happy whimper that escaped Jane's throat. 

"Come on," Kimball murmured, ending the kiss slowly. "Bedroom."

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about."

"Incorrigible," Kimball muttered, but took Patrick's hand and tugged him down the hallway. 

Once in the safe confines of Kimball's simple room, Patrick found himself happily snuggled against Kimball again, his nimble fingers flicking buttons through holes and unzipping zippers. Kimball was soon naked except for his briefs, and Patrick took a step back to just enjoy his lover's muscular form. 

"Jesus, I'm damn lucky."

"But yet not lucky enough to make this permanent."

The words were out of Cho's mouth before he could think, and both of them winced.

"Kim..."

"No, never mind. I'm sorry, I'm being an asshole. That was uncalled for."

"Maybe...but maybe not. Look, I...I can't..not yet. But maybe we can make this more regular."

"Regular? That has all the romanticism of fiber cereal."

Jane slapped Cho's arm and glowered a little.

"You know what I meant. I mean that maybe we could, you know, go out a few times. Be together more. Outside of work, of course."

"Well, yeah. I want a lover, not a death sentence. Lisbon would shoot us both, considering what she went through with Rigsby and Van Pelt."

"Right. You know, I wouldn't have gotten dirty if I had a key for your apartment. I could have just let myself in and waited on the couch or in bed, like a normal lover."

Kimball eyed Patrick slowly, unconsciously crossing his arms in a defensive gesture. 

"You want a key to my place. Why?"

"Because you want us to be a couple. Don't you?"

"...Yes."

Jane chose to ignore the exaggerated hesitation in Kimball's voice.

"Then couples share house keys."

"If I have a key made for you, then I require some promises."

"Promises? Like what?"

"You will not throw my coffee out."

"But Kimmy, tea-"

"No. You will not throw my coffee out. And don't call me 'Kimmy.'"

"Okay, okay. I will not throw your coffee out. Kimmy."

"You will not redecorate without my permission. At all."

"But your easy chair-"

"-Is mine."

Jane pouted, but slowly nodded his head.

"I will not redecorate. Kimmy."

"I'll ask the super for another parking space in the morning, if I can find him. You can't keep taking mine, I refuse to be yelled at every day by the witch down the hall for taking her guest spot she never uses. She seems to think I live to remind her she's single and I'm not."

Jane grinned slowly and moved back into Kimball's arms, his clothes feeling smooth against Kimball's skin. Cho sighed, closed his eyes briefly, and leaned his head into Patrick's shoulder. 

"Thank you for coming over."

"You're welcome, Kimmy."

"Idiot," Cho muttered fondly, slowly allowing his hands to remove to Patrick's clothes, sliding them off. 

"Sometimes...but I'm your idiot."

Kimball's thumb stroked Patrick's cheek, brushing over his lips before Kimball kissed him again.

"You are, Jane. You are."


End file.
